The Labors of Perseus
by Operator705
Summary: Percy swore he would do anything for Zoë, and Artemis intends to find out if he really means it. With the help of some other gods and goddess, Artemis takes some inspiration from the Labors or Heracles and sets up a series of challenges meant to test Percy and find out if his love is true.
1. Chapter 1 - The Challenge

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or any of its characters, places, ideas, or anything else related. Any resemblances to actual places or people are completely coincidental or being used fictitiously and should not be taken seriously.**

 **Labors of Perseus - Chapter 1: The Challenge - By RangerMK01**

 _The Hunters Camp..._

She couldn't believe she was about to do this.

It just seemed impossible, unreal. Hades, what was happening to her, what was she thinking?

She just couldn't comprehend that, after millennia of serving Lady Artemis, of fighting with her sisters, of despising men, she was about to give it all up.

For a _male_.

Zoë attempted to steady her breathing and rapidly beating heart as she stood outside her mistresses tent, hands curled into fists as she stared at the silver canvas that shimmered as the last rays of sun drifted below the horizon.

The sound of laughter drifted from the campfire, where the other Hunters were enjoying themselves, telling stories and roasting marshmallows, a treat that Zoë had never quite grown fond of, but had loved to make for her sisters.

It all just reminded her more of what she was about to give up.

Taking in a finale deep breath, she unclenched her hands, and knocked on the frame of the tent.

"Enter." Came the simple reply, but it made Zoë shiver nonetheless.

She pulled open the tent flap and stepped inside, ducking her head then standing straight again.

Lady Artemis sat on a wood chair in front of a small desk, examining a map under the light of a simple lamp Her silver daggers hung from her waist, and her bow was laid carefully on a shelf above her cot.

The familiar scent of animal furs, pine trees, and cinnamon lingered in the air as Zoë kneeled, bowing her head.

Artemis looked up from her map, surprise flickering across her face before a smile settled on it. "Ah, Zoë. I was not expecting you, I thought you would be with the new Hunters. Come now, sit. Friends do not bow to friends."

Zoë stood as Artemis snapped her fingers and another wood chair appeared. She gingerly sat down on the chair, finding herself unable to look her mistress in the eye.

Artemis seemed to notice this, and her smile faded slightly. "Is everything alright Zoë? What is the problem?"

Zoë remained silent and still for a moment, collecting herself. "It's...Something has come up milady...something I should have taken care of sooner."

The goddess face morphed into an expression of concern and she leaned forward, map forgotten. "Zoë, what is it?"

The Hunter took in a shaky breath, prepared to speak, hesitated. Then, she reached up and removed the small silver circlet that sat atop her raven hair, and held it out with both hands to Artemis.

For a second, Artemis stared at the circlet, shocked.

Confusion shone in her bright silver eyes as she moved her eyes up to Zoë's face. The silence was suffocating.

"Zoë..." She said finally, uncertainty flickering over her face. "Are...Does this mean what I think it means?"

Closing her eyes, Zoë nodded and spoke. "I am sorry milady, but it does. I resign from my position as Lieutenant of the Hunt, and request permission to leave the Hunt entirely."

After a few seconds of silence, Zoë opened her eyes again,

Shock, surprise, confusion, betrayal, anger, and a little bit of amazement flashed in rapid succession across the goddess' face. But behind that, Zoë could almost see the wheels turning, suspicion forming.

"B-but, why?" Artemis asked, voice slightly shaky. "Why, after millennia, would you leave your sisters? Why would you leave the Hunt? Why?"

Zoë braced herself for what was coming, then spoke. "Because milady, I have failed thee, our sisters, and the Hunt entirely. I have lost sight of what makes me a Hunter. I have fallen...for a male."

If it was even possible, Artemis looked even more shocked then before. Then it was fury. Then, to Zoë's utter bewilderment, it turned to understanding, something she never would have imagined on the face of her mistress well discussing this subject.

But then it was Zoë's turn to be truly shocked.

"It's Perseus, isn't it?"

The Hunter's head snapped up, and for the first time since she had walked in the tent, met the silver eyes of her mistress. "Y-yes. How...how did thee know?"

Artemis' face and tone were surprisingly gentle as she spoke. "It was quite clear that both you and Perseus cared for one another, though I had hoped that this was a more sibling love, and did very little to prevent it." She sighed. "But it seems that young Perseus has found a way into your heart, and you have found a way into his."

Zoë's face heated and she spluttered. "W-what? No, I-I a-assure thee, Percy is with that spawn of Athena. I know this, I merely-"

"Have no idea what is happening to you and are hopelessly in love with the one decent male on this planet?" Artemis finished helpfully, smiling. "I am not angry with you Zoë, if anything I am angry at Perseus for stealing you from the Hunt, but I know that he cares more deeply for you then you think."

Zoë thought she might burst into flames if her face became in warmer. "Th-thou do?"

"Indeed." Artemis' smile grew. "You were quite the archery teacher for him when we were last in camp, and I seem to recall you being frustrated with him because he wouldn't focus. Would you like to know what, or should I say _who_ he was focusing on?"

The former Lieutenant once again found herself shocked. "Mildly, thee are taking this a lot better then I thought thou would."

The goddess chuckled. "Trust me, I am quite furious and will be talking with Perseus-excuse me, _Percy_ , about this shortly." The goddess face became serious, all traces of humor gone. "Zoë, you have been my best Hunter and friend for many years now, and though it pains me to say it, I am glad you found someone who you might possibly love. "But before you leave the Hunt for Percy, I request that you let me test him, to make sure he truly loves you."

Zoë felt slightly nervous. She was about to throw Percy under the bus, and if he failed this test, or tests, there was a good chance Artemis might kill him. Zoë knew how ruthless he mistress could be to males.

"Understood milady. How will thou test him?"

Artemis thought for a second, then smiled a devilish smile. "Let's see..."

* * *

 _Camp Half-blood - Poseidon Cabin..._

Percy knew something was wrong as soon as he woke up.

For starters, he almost never woke up in the middle of the night, unless he was forced too or because of nightmares, he had been told he could sleep through a hurricane if one happened to drop by camp, however unlikely that was.

Second, the most obvious thing, the young 12 year old and strangely beautiful girl with startling silver eyes standing in the doorway of his cabin.

She held an elegant wood bow with silver markings in her right hand, a wickedly sharp arrow notched as glared down at Percy with anger in her eyes, and he felt about two inches tall as his mouth opened in a large "o".

"L-lady Artemis..." He finally managed to gasp out, unsure what to do. He sat up in his bed, still fully dressed, and almost fell to the floor as he attempted to perform an awkward bow.

He stayed in that position for about thirty seconds in silence, waiting for her to respond. When she didn't he hesitantly looked up, to find her still glaring at him, but also struggling to keep a smirk from appearing on her face.

"Rise boy." She said simply, a Percy quickly moved to his feet, taking a second to straighten his clothes and run a hand through his unruly hair, waiting patiently for her to explain why she was here, or tell him to do something.

She looked him up and down. "Do you have your sword?" She asked.

Percy subconsciously reached into his pocket and gripped his sword in disguise, _Riptide._ "Yes Lady Artemis, I do."

"Put on your shoes and meet me at the beach in five minutes. Or else."

Artemis disappeared in a flash of light, and not wanting to find out what, "or else" meant, Percy hastened to quickly put on his shoes and sprint out of his cabin, quietly closing the door behind him, before dashing toward the beach, making his way with the light of the moon.

When he arrived, Artemis was waiting near the water, gazing across the rippling waves as the moonlight broke across them in a million fractals.

"Four minutes and fifty-three seconds. You do like to cut it close, don't you Perseus?" Artemis spoke without looking at him, her eyes fixated on something far out at sea, something no mortal could ever see from that distance

"Uh...yeah." Was probably the worst answer he could come up with, but Artemis almost seemed to not have heard him.

After nearly a minute of silence, with tension so thick you could have cut it with a knife, Artemis spoke.

"I bet you are wondering why I came here for you tonight, yes?" She finally turned to him, one thin eyebrow arched as she held eye contact with him.

He shuffled uncomfortably under her, but forced him self to look her in the eye. "Yes, Lady Artemis."

"Tell me Perseus, what is your relationship with the daughter of Athena, Annabeth Chase?"

Percy was taken completely aback by this question. "I...I...don't...she's a good friend?" He finished lamely, not quite sure what was going on. At of all the reasons for Artemis, the biggest man hater in the world, to visit him, this was not one he had expected.

"But you do not love her?"

If Percy hadn't been shocked before, he sure was now. Why was Artemis concerned with his love life?

"Well...yes...as a friend, or like a sister, but not in a..." He trailed off, not sure how to explain this to someone who was known to despise this sort of thing.

"Sexual way?" She finished for him.

"I wouldn't, well, put it like that...more of a..." He once again failed to find something to describe, but the goddess again also had an answer.

"A romantic way?"

"Well...yes...I guess...?"

She nodded and turned back to the ocean. "Is there someone you love, Perseus?"

Percy almost said no, instinctively, but stopped. Something told him that she already knew the answer, and even if she didn't, she was a goddess and sister to the god of truth, she was bound to find out if he lied to her.

So instead, he hesitantly nodded. "Y-yes, Lady Artemis, there...there is someone I love."

Had he been looking at her face, he would've seen the devilish smile that found its way across he lips.

"You seem nervous, why?" She inquired, keeping her voice neutral. "Is there something you do not wish me to know?"

"N-no, no, of course not, I...I was just not expecting the discussion Lady Artemis. Why are you asking this?"

Ignoring his question entirely, she spoke again. "I wonder, who it is you have fallen for. A fellow camper? Perhaps a naid or nymph, or some other spirit? Maybe a goddess? A mortal you met somewhere? I would never think monsters to be in your interest, but who am I to know? But no, I feel it is none of those, so who? Perhaps, dare I even say, one of my own Hunters?"

She saw Percy visibly pale from the corner of her eye and grinned.

"Maybe not just any one of my Hunters, but a certain _Lieutenant_ of my Hunt?"

 _Bingo_. Her grin grew as a sharp intake of breath from behind her completely gave Percy away, not that she hadn't already known.

Artemis turned to the boy, who was now as pale as a sheet of paper. "Come now Perseus, you did not think you could hide your affection for Zoë from me did you?" She feigned anger, but on the inside she was having a hard time keeping herself from laughing at Percy's panicked expression.

"L-lady Artemis, I-I didn't-we haven't-I'm-" Percy found himself unable to come up with a coherent sentence and hardly able to gasp out the half-thoughts that did manage to make it too his now lead heavy tongue.

He continued to make unintelligible sentences until Artemis grew board of watching him panic and raised her hand. "Enough." She spoke simply, but with force behind her words, and Percy shut his mouth immediately. "Look at me."

He hesitantly looked at her face, and after a few more seconds, his fearful sea green eyes met with her intense silver. She was a few inches shorter than him in this form, but held an aura of power that made him feel insignificant behind compare.

"Do you love her?"

The question seemed to surprise him, he had expected to a jackalope about two minutes ago because he had been caught harboring romantic feelings towards one of her best Hunters, but now with so much seriousness they might as well have been discussing someone's funeral. Maybe they were.

Percy choose his next words carefully, knowing they could mean life or death. "Yes," he breathed out, holding Artemis' gaze. "I do love her, w-with all my heart."

"Do you?" Artemis asked, her expression morphing into one of such intense anger, Percy almost bolted. "Tell me Perseus, would you do anything for her?"

He started to say yes, terrified over her wrath, but stopped. "No."

Now it was Artemis' turn to be surprised. "No?"

Percy shook his head, looking at the ground. "No. I wouldn't do anything for her. I would not hurt my friends for or family, I would not betray Olympus, or commit other vile acts for her unless I absolutely had to. There are limits to what I will do, even for the people closest to me."

Artemis stared at him for a moment. She was beginning to see why Zoë had fallen for this man-boy, this boy. "I see...but were it not against your morals and values, would you do anything for her?"

"Yes." Percy didn't miss a beat. "I would do anything."

"Think carefully about what you say, boy, and swear it on the River Styx. Would you do anything for her?"

Without even stopping to think, despite her warning, Percy nodded. "Yes, I swear it on the River Styx."

Thunder boomed overhead and the moon seemed to shine brighter.

Artemis smirked. "Then lets get started, shell we?"

And before Percy could ask what she meant, she had grabbed him by the shoulder and the world disappeared beneath his feet.

The goddess of the Hunt and Perseus Jackson vanished from the beach in a flash of silver light.

 **Hey everyone!**

 **It's been a long time since I've worked on this site, and I figured I might as well get back into it, so here we are.**

 **This is not only my first fanfic for the PJO series, but also this first I've worked on in almost two years, so apologies if the work is slightly substandard.**

 **Updates will likely be slow do to school, work, and other dedications in life, but I will try to work on it as often as possible, and will likely update this chapter with corrections if need be.**

 **Keep being awesome and be sure to review what you think!**

 **-RangerMK01**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Test

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or any of its characters, places, ideas, or anything else related. Any resemblances to actual places or people are completely coincidental or being used fictitiously and should not be taken seriously.**

 **Labors of Perseus - Chapter 2: The Test - By RangerMK01**

 _Camp Half-Blood..._

Their hunting horn pierced the morning fog, as the Hunters summited Half-blood hill, the newer hunters eyeing the dragon coiled around the tree with wariness, and the golden sheep skin hanging from the lower branches with small amounts of awe.

Zoë's eye's however, were drawn to a simple headstone overlooking the valley. It was plain and surprisingly small, nowhere near as grand as the tomb that had been built on Olympus, but in Zoë's mind, spoke much greater volumes then any gold casket.

 _"Here lies Thalia, Daughter of Zeus, Hero of Olympus, Protector of Camp Half-Blood, and friend to many._

Deep within her, Zoë felt unbridled amounts of guilt. She knew that it should've been her, not Thalia, that had died on the quest to save Lady Artemis and the spawn of Athena, she had already been poisoned when they faced her father and was incredibly weak, but still, it had been Thalia who payed the ultimate price.

A hand placed gingerly on her shoulder broke Zoë from her thoughts and she started slightly, turning to find one of her closest friends, Phoebe, staring at her with a hint of concern.

Zoë realized she had been staring at the headstone for some time, and quickly reorientated herself and gave Phoebe a small smile. "I am fine." She replied to the unspoken question before quickly signaling the Hunt to follow her.

Lady Artemis had given her the instruction to lead the Hunt to Camp Half-Blood, train the newer hunters, try not to kill anyone, and await her return with Percy.

She blushed.

Just thinking about him made her heart rate spike and blood rush to her face, her breath quickened slightly and an involuntary smile found its way to her lips as she thought about him.

She quickly schooled herself though as they approached the camp, eyeing her fellow Hunters to see if any of them had noticed her sudden change in mood.

It was embarrassing. She, Zoë Nightshade, Hunter of Artemis and Lieutenant of the Hunt, was acting like a daughter of Aphrodite. Screw embarrassing, it was downright shameful. But she just couldn't help it.

Fortunately, she was distracted by the gathering of demigods, sayters, and a single centaur. "Miss Nightshade," Chiron greeted with a small bow as they approached, "welcome back to Camp Half-Blood, how long will you be joining us for?"

Zoë eyed the aged centaur with mild respect, and the rest of the demigods with a touch of irritation. She noticed, that a good portion of them seemed to be armed, confused, or uncertain of something.

Realizing that Chiron was still awaiting an answer she replied simply, "As long as is necessary." She reached into the pocket of her silver parka and removed a small piece of parchment. "Mildly wished for this to be brought to thou, its contents are to be shared with no one."

The centaur accepted the parchment and quickly scanned it, his eyes widening the further he read.

Finally after a few more moments, he looked back up at Zoë in deep thought. "I see..." He murmured quietly.

He turned to face one of the older looking campers, a son of Apollo if Zoë had to guess. "Will, recall the search parties, there is to be no further attempts to locate or contact Percy, ensure that each team understands this."

Zoë frowned. They had been searching for Percy? It would certainly explain their slightly befuddled expressions. She hadn't expected Percy to be gone so soon, but it would make sense as when they had awoken, the only trace of Artemis had been two letters, one addressed to Zoë, the other to Chiron.

The camper, Will, looked confused but nodded. Reaching to his waist where a eloquent horn hung, he raised it too his lips and blew.

The low, mournful sound pierced the air and fog, echoing across the valley.

Addressing Zoë again, Chiron spoke. "Thank you for bringing me this," he gestured to the letter, "I will let you get settled in. Shell I tell the campers to be ready for our traditional game of Capture the Flag?

She smirked. "Of course."

The campers, did not look excited about the game but slowly wondered away, a couple trying to talk to Chiron and get information about the letter, but he politely told them to run along.

"Phoebe, take the Hunters to our cabin and settle in. As soon as thou are finished, take them and train, especially the younger."

A collective groan emanated from the newer Hunters, but Phoebe just smirked and nodded, leading the Hunters toward the silver cabin.

Zoë found herself standing alone near the ever burning campfire, the Campers returning to their daily activities.

Behind her, there was a cough, and Zoë spun, her hands finding the twin daggers hanging from her waist as her volcanic black eyes locked with calculating grey.

"Where is he?" Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena asked after a moment, her voice hard as steel. "Where's Percy?"

Forcing herself to relax as she considered the blonde's question, Zoë was slightly shocked at how cold the eyes of the other girl where. Since Thalia's death, Annabeth has always regarded her with nothing but indifference. But since the Battle of Manhattan, she had been especially cold towards her, though Zoë could find no reason why.

Realizing she hadn't spoken yet, she decided to answer the girls question with equal firmness. "That is none of thy concern, daughter of Athena." She sniffed, putting on a slightly haughty face in hopes of irritating the girl. "Perhaps thou should keep better track of thy friends."

It worked. Annabeth's brow furrowed, her eye twitched, and her cheeks developed a slightly red color. The blonde's hand noticeably twitched towards her bronze dagger.

"Why you little-" She stopped herself, took a deep breath, and spoke again. "Listen... _Zoë_ , Percy is my closest friend, and he's missing, and if that letter you gave Chiron has anything to do with Percy, which I'm sure it does, I would like to know what it said."

Contemplating the girl in front of her, Zoë observed the emotions playing through her eyes. Frustration, concern, fear...? And _jealousy?_

Zoë felt like slapping herself.

No wonder Annabeth had been so cold since the battle of Olympus, it was painfully obvious.

The girl was in love with Perch Jackson, and was jealous of Zoë. She had probably seen them dancing together...and the kiss...

"Thou love him, don't thou?"

The question blurted from her mouth before she could stop herself, even though she already knew the answer.

Annabeth in turn, tensed with surprise, her eyes shot wide with panic and she choked for a second, her face turning bright red.

Finally, she seemed to regain control of her body and stiffly nodded her head. "Yes. Yes I do."

Zoë just stared at her, unsure what to do.

On one hand, Annabeth was correct, she and Percy were very close friends and if anyone deserved to know where he was it was her.

On the other, just how did Zoë explain that Percy was completing a series of trials meant prove his worthiness to be with her, a Hunter. Especially after Annabeth had just revealed that she loved him.

Her face softened slightly. "I am sorry, Annabeth. I am not allowed to to say where Percy is, nor do I know." Seeing the blonde about to ask a question she cut in. "All I can say is that he is being tested, and if he fails, there is a high probability he will die."

Annabeth's eyes widened. "What?!" She exclaimed, drawing some curious stares from other nearby campers. "Tested for what? By who? For what reason?"

Zoë raised her hands against the barrage of questions. "I cannot say. I am sorry again."

And before the spawn of Athena could say another word, Zoë turned on her heel and hurried away.

After a few minutes of brisk walking, she found herself at the edge of the woods.

As she was about to enter, deciding to go on a small Hunt by herself, a sound like hooves hitting the ground reached her ears, as well as someone frantically calling her name.

"Zoë!" The out of breath and undoubtedly male voice called.

Sighing as she realized what was coming next, she turned. "Yes, Grover?"

"Have you seen Percy?"

* * *

 _Somewhere Unknown..._

Well Zoë was getting questioned by Grover, Percy was beginning to regret what he had agreed too.

Percy may have been the Defeater of Kronos and Savior of Olympus, not to mention completely wicked with a sword. Put him against some monsters or other demigods, maybe even a minor god, no problem. Ares had been borderline suicide and mostly luck. Kronos, almost completely luck.

But against a pissed off goddess of the Hunt, Percy stood no ground.

"Sloppy!" The silver-eyed, 12 year old snarled, an odd expression on someone that appeared so young. "How can you ever expect to protect Zoë if you can not even protect yourself!?"

Despite being exhausted and pressed against the edge of the training ring, Percy still found the strength to grit his teeth in something that resembled a smile as his bronze sword met Artemis' duel silver hunting knives with a shriek of metal.

"You and I both know that Zoë could kick my butt any time of the day. It will be a cold day in Hades if she ever truly needs my help." Percy managed to gasp out, his lungs burning.

The goddess' eyes narrowed. "You're wrong. She needs your help now. She cares for you far more deeply then you think and would put herself in harms way for you." The knives came even more quickly then before, like silver flashes of lightening. "If you can not protect yourself, she may lose her life trying to protect you!"

The forced smile Percy had managed melted away with seconds and he redoubled his efforts. He had no idea if what she said was true, but if it was, there was no way in Hades he was going to take chances with Zoë's life.

Sparks flew and metal screamed as they collided with growing speed. But it was a losing battle. Percy couldn't match Artemis' godly speed or stamina, not to mention every blow felt like the Minotaur slamming its axe down on his sword. He was barely fending her off, his heels dug into the sandy floor mere inches from the line that marked the training ring.

A few seconds later, and he made a mistake.

He blocked her knives and she jumped back half a foot so she could strike again. Percy took a chance and lunged forward, catching her by surprise and nearly impaling her on his sword had she not blocked it just in time.

Trying to press his advantage, he swung, only to realize he had forgotten her other knife, right as piercing pain ruptured below his ribs.

He cried out, his vision clouding with pain.

Percy looked down, and through the haze he managed to see the eloquently designed handle of a hunting knife sticking from his gut.

The first time they had sparred together was right after they arrived at the training ring. She had simply turned him and said, "Now, let us see if you are ready for what is ahead." And that was that.

Percy hadn't expected her to be so aggressive, nor had he expected the stinging gash that had appeared on his chest when she found a gap in his defenses.

It hadn't been deep, but it had shocked him into realizing that this wasn't a game and if he messed up, he would probably die. Artemis was not afraid too hurt him.

He gasped as he crumpled to his knees, breathing in short, irregular breaths as his dazed green eyes meet unsympathetic silver.

"Pathetic. I don't know what Zoë ever saw in you."

Something snapped in him at that. He was a lot of things. A screwup, a Seaweed Brain, a reckless moron, but he was not pathetic. Normally insults like this wouldn't hurt him, he got it from gods, titans, and school bullies alike.

But it hurt because he had no idea what Zoë saw in him either.

She was the Lieutenant of Artemis, she had served the Hunters for millennia, she had fought in more battles and wars then he probably had even heard of, she had seen more then he could possibly imagine. Not to mention she was the most beautiful and intelligent girl he had ever met.

Who was he? Another hero? History was full of them. Her hear had been broken by one. Olympus had been saved many times. What made him so special?

Sure, after the Battle of Olympus they had shared a dance, but that easily could've been just a friendly dance. The kiss, could've been a "thank the gods, we survived" kiss and he would never have known.

What if this was all some cruel form of torture by Artemis for having romantic feelings towards Zoë?

Were the Hunters watching him right now? Laughing as he struggled to breath with a knife sticking from his abdomen, Zoë look at him with disgust, wondering how he could ever think she would be with him.

He growled. Not a just a small one, a full, primal growl. Artemis stiffened as Percy suddenly lunged back to his feet, ripping the knife from his gut and swinging his sword with such force that when it collided with the knife in her left hand, the silver bade spun from her grip, landing in the dirt meters away.

He swung again, faster, Artemis barely managed to fend off the following attacks. Had he been able to see through the red haze, he would have seen the very real concern in her wide silver eyes.

"Perseus! Stop!" She yelled, realizing she had gone a bit too far, but he ignored her, swinging again and nearly taking her head off. "I yield! I yield!"

But he kept swinging, a constant snarling and a rabid look upon his face.

He knocked the other knife from her hand with a vicious blow, causing a gasp to rise from her as she felt something snap her wrist.

She fell backwards hard on to her rear, and for one of the few times in her immortal life, felt true fear as she stared up at the shaking form of Percy, blood pouring from the wound in his abdomen.

"Percy..." She tried to keep her voice steady as he advanced towards her. "Please...I yield."

The word 'please' tasted funny in her mouth but she tried not to think about as he stopped, his eyes becoming unclouded as he realized what he had just done and looked around at the two knives discarded in in the dirt, to Artemis glaring at him warily.

"L-lady Artemis...I...I...don't..." He looked down at his still bleed wound and _Riptide_ slipped from his fingers and he promptly passed out.

Artemis, using her godly speed she just managed to catch him before he landed hard, and gently laid him on the ground, quickly putting pressure his wound before sending a message to Apollo.

"Yes Percy," she murmured as she waited for her little brother to appear," I do believe you are ready for your first task."

 **And that's that!**

 **If anyone has any idea how to actually be satisfied with your work, please share. I don't think I'll ever feel happy with this chapter.**

 **Probably rewrite it.**

 **Anyways. Sorry about the wait. One week turned into two, two into three, and three into four, and so on.**

 **Maybe I'll get better at timing?**

 **If anyone has ideas for the Labors, please PM me. I have some ideas, but any suggestions would definitely be welcome.**

 **Review please and have a good night everyone!**

 **-RangerMK01**


	3. Chapter 3 - The Maze

Disclaimer: **I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or any of its characters, places, ideas, or anything else related. Any resemblances to actual places or people are completely coincidental or being used fictitiously and should not be taken seriously.**

 **Labors of Perseus - Chapter 2: The Test - By RangerMK01**

 _In the woods of Camp Half-Blood..._

"Truth or dare, Sarah?"

"Uh...dare?"

"Alright, I dare you to eat that bag marshmallows in less then two minutes!"

The Huntress groaned and reluctantly grabbed almost completely full bag of marshmallows while her sisters laughed around her, watching expectantly.

"You guys are are going to make me so fat!" Sarah complained, eyeing the sugar treat distastefully. "I don't even like marshmallows!"

"You made your bed, now lie in it!" One of the other Huntress, Chloe, insisted. "Eat it them!"

"Come on guys! Zoë, you don't like these things even more then I do, don't make me eat all of them!"

The Lieutenant in question shrugged, smirking. She had already been the target of two dares, one to do a sensual dance (which she was far too good at not to have practiced, or at least the other Hunters said so), and the second had to been to kiss another Hunter, which she had quite quickly done, kissing their youngest, Ali, on top of the head.

"I agree sister, they art disgusting," she started, and Sarah perked up hopefully, "however, thou also decided to play the game. Now play."

Sarah glared at Zoë. "Traitor." She muttered. "I am _sooo_ gonna get you for this."

The daughter of Atlas returned the glare with a pleasant smile. "I await thy revenge eagerly. Thy time starts now."

Grimacing, the Huntress began stuffing marshmallows in her mouth, chewing frantically.

Despite the girls reluctance to eat them, the fluffy pillows of sugar quickly vanished and all that was left was a plastic bag.

"I'm going to be sick!" Sarah whined, clutching her stomach. "Ugh, Zoë, truth or dare?"

Unconcerned, Zoë picked up her canteen of water. "Truth." She replied lazily, taking a deep drank of water, and missed the evil glint that appeared in her sister's eye.

"Who was the first boy you kissed on the lips?"

Zoë, still in the process of drinking, choked and sprayed water over the Hunters directly across from her, droplets sizzling as they landed in the campfire before them.

"Ew!" Cried more then one Hunter, and Phoebe, who was directly beside Zoë, began clapping her on the back, as the Huntress entered a violent coughing fit to rid herself of any remaining water.

"What the Hades!" Zoë gasped horsely after clearing her throat, blushing fiercely. "Why would thou ever think I have kissed a _boy_!? On the lips no less!?"

Sarah smiled smugly. "Your reaction for the most part, and some other...interactions we've seen."

"We've?" It was then that Zoë realized the rest of the Hunt was staring at her expectantly. Some with faces of glee, others of smugness, and more then a few looked apprehensive of her answer.

"So? Who was it?" The Huntress asked in a singsong voice. "We need to know who we are supposed castrate for touching our sister."

Zoë couldn't meet any of their eyes as she glared into the fire, her cheeks hotter then the bright coals themselves. They had planned this. It all made sense, why everyone was so eager to play this game. She had decided to play just so she could enjoy what little time she had left in the Hunt, she had no idea when Percy and Artemis would be back, but she wanted to make every moment with her sisters count. The only question was, did they actually know, or had they just guessed?

"I...I have...k-kissed a boy." She admited hesitantly, missing the knowing looks that appeared on some of her sisters' faces.

"And? Who was it?" Asked someone else, Jena. "And what did you do to him after he forced himself on you?"

Somehow, Zoë's blush deepened. "He...d-didn't force himself on me." There were a couple gasps of shock. "I-I, kissed him."

Their was silence, and she continued to stare into the fire, shame creeping through her. "So, who was it?" All traces of humor were gone from Sarah's voice when she spoke, it was cold and hard as steel.

Zoë tried to speak, failed, and tried again. She couldn't lie to her sisters, even if they would hate her for the truth. It was like the Heracles situation all over again.

"Percy Jackson." She whispered, cursing herself when it came out shaky.

There was more silence, until someone started laughing.

"Zoë, I hate to say this because you look so upset, but this was quite amusing." Came a famailar, serene voice.

Zoë's head snapped up, and her onyx eyes met with the bright silver.

* * *

 _Somewhere unknown..._

"Mother of Zeus! Of all the things, it had to be another labyrinth!"

Percy gave a huff of frustration as he ran into yet another dead end, the dim light of _Riptide_ illuminating the chipped stone wall.

"Yes Artemis, I swear I'll do anything, and won't even ask if anything includes life threatening spars with a goddess and super complex mazes!" He mocked himself in a slightly higher pitched voice. "Hades, I really am a seaweed brain!"

After his spar with Artemis gone wrong had finished with him passing out from blood loss, Percy had awoken in a dark room, lit by only a single candle. His only exits, three arched corridors that looked exactly the same.

He hadn't been totally helpless fortunately. A quick sweep of the room had turned up three additional candles, and a worn backpack containing a small butane lighter, three bottles of water, a single package of beef jerky, and a silver arrowhead that he couldn't find any use for, but had returned it to the pack regardless. It could come in handy later.

Supplies were scarce, but it was better then nothing.

Deciding to conserve the lighter and candles for a real emergency, he had drawn his sword and used the faint glow it cast to navigate the never ending passageways that turned, twisted, and in more then one case, ended abruptly.

He wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. At first he had simply assumed he was looking for an exit. For all he knew he still was. But so far he hadn't seen any sign of a blue Delta or any other symbol for that matter.

There had been no clues so far and Percy had wondered for what felt like hours, but honestly, he had no idea how long he'd been in there.

He wondered if it was like the original labyrinth and time moved differently.

Probably not the best thing to think about.

Percy sighed and but his back to the wall, slowly sliding down until he was sitting, his legs throbbing dully from the abuse he'd put them through.

Fishing a water bottle from his pack, Percy took a shallow drink, conserving it as best he could, but the little water still felt absolutely amazing and filled him with energy.

"I am an idiot." He decided, placing the water bottle back in his pack resting his head against the wall. "An absolute idiot."

Not sure what else to do, he pulled the silver arrowhead and examined it underneath his dim light.

It was excellent craftsmanship in Percy's opinion, and probably one of the same arrowheads the Hunters used, if the material and the way it shimmered in the light were anything to go by.

He flipped it over and frowned. He hadn't noticed the tiny engraved words on the very edge of the arrowhead before, but they were so shallow and faint that he honestly wasn't sure if they were even there.

" _Σημείωσε μου._ " He murmured, tracing the letters with his thumb. "Point me."

Percy yelped slightly when the arrowhead suddenly began to glow and floated above his hand. It started spinning rapidly.

It continued to spin, but stopped abruptly, pointing directly towards his chest.

He waited with baited breath, watching the silver arrowhead, but it remained unmoving.

Percy slowly climbed back to his feet, keeping the floating arrowhead above his palm as he did so.

He adjusted his position from the wall, and turned, but the arrowhead remained pointing the same direction, straight into the stone wall.

He took a few steps to the left, and this time it moved, ever so slightly pointing to the right.

Percy moved to the right, and it switched, the arrowhead drifted to the left.

"It's like a compass." He realized as he played with it some more, moving back in fourth around the corridor.

He reached upward, as if too grab the arrowhead, but it surprised him when it simply dropped into his waiting palm, as if it knew his intention.

"Sick." Percy muttered softly, mildly impressed. "Point me!"

The silver blade leapt back into the air, spun, and then pointed in the same direction as before.

He smiled. He had his first clue.

Snatching up his backpack, Percy took off back the way he had come with renewed strength. He may not know which pathways to take, but he at least had a general idea which way to go, and that was more then he had five minutes before.

His newfound hope did not last long as he was soon once again lost in the endless corridors and passageways that all looked almost exactly the same, and he had developed and nervous itch down the back of his neck.

Either this place was getting to him, or his dangers sense was kicking into gear trying to warn him that something was amiss.

Percy tightened his grip on _Riptide_ , deciding on the latter.

Unfortunately, there was nothing his prized blade could do against what would happen.

He smelled the danger before he saw it.

It started out as a bitter scent, and Percy hesitated. It was terrible, just unpleasant, and reminded him vaguely of unwashed socks and the boy's locker room at school.

Not seeing anything obviously threatening, Percy reluctantly crept forward, eyes scanning the corridor in front of him.

The next thing that hit him was a eerie hissing noise, like tiny vipers trapped inside the wall around him.

He stopped again, doing a full 360 search of the corridor. The only thing out of place was the yellow eye watching him from a small hole in the wall.

Wait, what?

The son of Poseidon did a double take. Up until this point, the walls had remained fairly consistent. Grey, stone, and slightly rough. There had never been this large of an opening that he had seen.

The hole was only a few inches wide, big enough for his arm to fit in, and he could see nothing through it, though he was fairly sure he had seen an eye peering out of it just moments ago.

He cautiously moved closer, noting that the bitter scent intensified as he drew nearing, and the hissing had grown louder, almost sounding like somebody whispering.

Not wanting to stick his face right next to a strange smelling hole in the wall where he was certain something had been peering out at him from, Percy did the only other thing he could think of and carefully slipped the glowing blade in his hand through the hole in the wall.

The hissing intensified as he did so and briefly stopped. He definitely could make out words, just not what they were saying.

Moving even slower then before, Percy continued to slip in the blade in, this hissing growing louder until the hilt of the sword collided with the edges of the opening, and it abruptly stopped.

 _Riptide_ couldn't go any further, and yet he could feel that there was still space in front of the blade.

Hesitantly, he lowered his face near the hole, planning to look through and see if the light it cast revealed anything.

Right as Percy was about to take a peak past his sword, the hissing returned even louder then before, and he clearly heard his name spoken.

He stiffened, about to jump to his feet and get the Hades out of there, but it was too late.

The bitter scent intensified to a point that Percy had tears in his eyes, and a sickly green gas erupted from the hole, blasting him fully in the face.

He stumbled back, his eyes and skin abruptly started burning with excruciating pain where the gas made contact and he gasped, a huge mistake.

The poison, or whatever it was, seared his throat as it traveled into his lungs, and his body erupted in agony.

He lost his grip on _Riptide_ and collapsed to the ground, choking violently as his body tensed and spasmed against his will, every nerve screaming as the gas traveled throughout his system.

His vision clouded and tears poured down his cheeks. He couldn't breath! He couldn't see! His entire body burned fiercely, and all he could hear was his own muffled choking and screaming.

The agony seemed to last forever, but eventually the pain subsided slowly. His eyes blinked the stinging pain away and gradually refocused, and he sucked in a breath of cold, fresh air.

He lay there, shivering and twitching involuntarily occasionally as the pain left his sweat covered body, his breaths ragged and short, cheeks still wet with tears.

After another eternity, he finally summoned the strength to shakily sit up, using the wall behind him for support.

The hissing was gone, as was the noxious smell. A further inspection revealed the darkened hole was missing, but he was too exhausted to come up with any logical conclusions as to where it had gone. Probably magic or something.

He shakily grabbed _Riptide_ from the stone floor and used it as a makeshift walking cane as he climbed back to his feet, almost collapsing into a boneless heap more then once.

Percy wiped his wet cheeks with the back of his hand and looked once more around the dark passageway for the hole that had caused this ordeal, but found nothing once more.

Hands still twitching slightly, he grabbed a water bottle from his pack and took a deep drink, than proceeded to pour the rest of its contents onto his head.

The water rejuvenated him and eased some of the lingering pain. He at least stopped shaking like a leaf.

He tucked the water bottle back into his pack. Maybe he could refill it later? If he got the chance.

The demigod wasn't entirely sure what to do after the feeling like it lasted forever, it had all been rather quick honestly. The gas came, he felt like Hades, he got better. Now what?

Of course, that was the completely _wrong_ thing to ask.

Just as he started to move again, planning to get away from the area and find a spot to break and plan, a single hiss filled the air.

" _Percy..._ "

He spun. There, lingering just at the edge of his range of sight, stood a tall, broad figure.

"H-Hello?" His voiced cracked, throat still recovering from his screaming. "Who's there?"

There was silence, then a shuffling sound, and the figure started to draw nearer. "You saying you don't recognize me, Perce?" Came a raspy voice, filled with sarcasm. "I only died saving your royal butt, and everyone else's."

Percy's eyes narrowed. The voice was undoubtedly familiar, but he couldn't find a face to match. At least, not one that made any sense.

"Who are you?" He repeated, voice steadier. "What do you mean you died for me?"

A bitter, rasping chuckle filled the corridor, but no other response came from the figure at they drew ever closer.

The shaken demigod brandished his bronze sword in front of him. "Who are you!?" Percy demanded. "Answer me!"

The figure chuckled again, a hauntingly familiar noise, and stepped into the dim light.

 _Riptide_ almost slipped from Percy's hands as he stared shock. "N-no!" He croaked. "That's not possible!"

"Really? But isn't it Perce?"

Percy shook his head fiercely. "No, no! I get it now!" He glared at the figure, keeping his voice confident. "The gas causes hallucinations too! You're not real!"

The laugh they gave was blood chilling, and the son of Poseidon shivered despite himself. "Why can't I be real, Percy? Because you don't want me to be? Because you're glad that I'm dead?"

"You're not real because you are _dead_! I saw you die!"

"Well, perhaps you'd like to join me in... _death_ , Percy."

The figure drew a sword with a rasp of metal, and with startling speed, swung at Percy, moving to decapitate the son of Poseidon.

Percy twisted his body away from the blade, but he hesitated just too long, wondering if the blade would even do anything before he decided not to take chances.

He cried out as the _very_ real sword cut a deep gash in his left arm.

Percy barely managed to bring _Riptide_ up in time to block the second swing, the two celestial bronze swords colliding with a deafening clang, as the bloodied form of Luke Castellan lunged toward him.

 **I'm writing this from my college algebra class. Please send help.**

 **All seriousness though, sorry about the wait. It took me a while to decide what the first labour should be, and then longer to decide how to make it solvable.**

 **As usual, thank you for all the support! You guys are what motivate me to actually post the stuff I write, instead of just writing it and leaving it in my story folder...there are quite a few dusty stories I need to pull out.**

 **If you have any ideas, make sure to send a message my way, or leave a review and tell me what you think of the story so far!**

 **-RangerMK01**


End file.
